Baby chair convertible into satchel



May 27, c

BABY CHAIR CONVERTIBLE INTO SATCHEL 2 SHEETS SHEET l Filed March 17, 1947 May 27, 1952 c. J. HUME BABY CHAIR CONVERTIBLE INTO SATCHEL 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed March 17. 1947 Patented May 27, 1952 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE BABY CHAIR CONVERTIBLE INTO SATCHEL Cliiford John Humc, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application March 17, 1947, Serial No. 735,15

10 Clams. 1

`My invention appertalns to improvements in baby chairs and has as a major object to provide a chair of this kind having a table board for supporting articles and constructed to be converted into a satchel so that it may be carried by parents when travelling with a baby. The invention provides a combination chair and satchel, and in its use as a satchel various articles of utility and convenience may be carried in it such as, for instance, the safety harness ernployed to fasten the child in the chair.

In furtherance of the major object the invention comprehends a chair structure comprising' a seat supported by legs and integrated with a side wall curved through its length to provide a back and wings. A drop board is hinged to the forward edge of the seat to form an apron member. A table board is hinged to the wings by a connection which enables it to be removed when it is not wanted.

In converting the chair into a satchel the drop board is swung upwardly against the forward edges of the side wall to constitute a bottom member and. part of one of the opposite sides of the satchel. The table board is swung backwardly to form the remaining part of said one side. A handle is provided on the side wall and the legs are displaced from their seat supporting positions so that there will be substantially no projecting parts on the article in its use as a satchel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a chair of the class described in which the legs are arranged to telescope in the side wall and to be retained therein by means of a latching d vice when the article is converted for use as a satchel.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing specification and drawing of a selected embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the article viewed from the front in its use as a satchel.

Fig. 2 is a further perspective view of the satchel Viewed from the rear.

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation showing the article erected as a chair.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the chair.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the side wall and of the seat of the chair showing one of the legs extending therefrom.

Fig. 6 is a similar section but showing how the legs are telescoped and retained in the side wall when not in use.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary elevation of the side wall depicting the hinge connection for the table board.

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary but similar section to Fig. 8 after removal of the table board.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the matter shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a sectional detail on line lI-ll of Fig. 6. r

In carrying out my invention the body of the baby chair comprises a seat l5 for a child, and a side wall rigid the seat. The seat has a straight front edge !6 and is rounded at the rear. The side wall is a hollow member IT curved substantially throughout its length in conformity to the side and back edges of the seat and providing unitary wings continuous with a back. The top edge of the side wall runs parallel to` the underlying edge of said seat throughout its length.

On the front edge !6 of said seat there is hingedly supported, as at !8, a drop board l9 forming an apron member for the front of the chair and having a foot rest 20 rigidly carried by its lower end to extend forwardly. The drop board is of a depth equal to the height of said side wall so that when it is swung upwardly it will fit against the vertical edges of the wing sections 2| thereof to constitute a closure for the front of the chair body in its use as a satchel. In the closed position of the drop board. as represented in Figs. 1 and 2, the foot piece 20 overlies the forepart of the top of the side wall to form a part of the closure means therefor.

The table board 22 is supplied With pins 23 projecting outwardly of its side edges at or near the inner edge 24 which is a straight edge. The table board is pvotally mounted on said wings 2! in the vicinity of the forward edges thereof by means of said pins. The pins are loosely fitted in connecting devices 25 constructed to provide for removal of the table board should it not be re qured in the use of the chair. The table board is rounded and when swung backward it fits over the top of the side wall to form a closure therefor in the use of the article as a satchel. This closure constitutes a lid for the satchel and ts against the major part of the top of the side wall as best shown in Fig. 1, the remaining forward part of said top being closed by the foot rest which is carried by the drop board.

When the chair is converted into a satchel the table board 22, in serving as a lid, is held closed by an approved catch such as that indicated at V position.

25 and provided with a button by which it is released. The drop board [9 is latched in closed position by a suitable fastener such as a hook 21 on the element engaged with a keeper 28 on the straight edge 24 of the table board. The drop board forms the bottom part of the satchel. The top part thereof is provided with a drop handle 29.

In theuseof the article ase ohairther are occasions whenrthetable board is :not wanted. The connecting devices 25 are devised to enable it to be detached at will. To this end they comprise each a plate apertured to receive the corresponding pin 23 and hingedatii'l tolazcompanion plate 32 which is Secured to and embedded in the side wall t'i. Each hinged--plate 30 *is outwardly swingable and inwardlystnessedmy'a spring 33. When swung outwardly it disengages the pin 23. The table board is detaehed-bydisengagement of both pins and on its removal the hinge'd plates ar eswung &down :underspring'ten- "sion to occupy recesses formedin thestop'edge' of the side wall.

The 'legs of thenchair :are-denoted. at 34 and `these are :short-:so :that "it mayi be supported on the seat of a regular: chair,lindicated .at' 35 in 36. The strap is passed around the back-.of'the regular chair andits ends are supplied-.with connectors 31 in the form of plates having rigid pins' "33 inserted' in holes sesupplied in the sidewall l 'i. The -strap may be otherwise constructed if so v desired.

-Earlier it has-been 'mentioned thatthe less -telescope within the' side wal when: the` chair is converted "into *stores 'them ready'ior nse and assures that they.

sa tchel. 'This .conveniently `'willnot become lost. The 'side wall is `chainbered,

"that is 'it is made of-a' hollow construction com- `prisin'g spaced vertical -walls, a top wallrportion and a bottom wall portion defining the chamber,

*designated '40. In the bottom wall portion ofthis -eham'berthere is-'a hola-4! therethrough and a -rgistering-hole intheseat !5 for each leg. said holes-*4l lead into said chamber. Each hole, 41, is 'elengated in thedirection `in which the cham *ber extends *so'that its -leg, which is of a'circular cross-section; may be skewedto difierent angular ;positions (seeFigs. 5:6 and 7).

'Means 'are providedtc *secure each leg in -an extended ,angular' -disposition as required* for use.

"The securing means is in thenatureof a locking Ldevice comprising arodor like' member as -at 42 'fixed in the ehamber to' angularly extend toward the hole .4! "from which *the* ig ?Projects The elongated hole 4.! is o a-width-such that 'the lgLiS aslide fit 'therein, 'andin' the top'end of the leg there isprovided-a circular recess 43 eccentrieally located with-regard to the leg-axis.

'Thelocking efiect is. brought aboutby-engaging 'thelower end of th rod'42 insaiderecess 43 'and e tached from the rod 42 and then pushed inwardly of the chaniber to seat its inner end against a jleafspring 44 so as to 'tension it and at the same "timeto bring' an outer end face 45 of the leg into *abutting engagement with a ledge face 46' formed in the hole 4l. This clamps the leg in rec'eded It can be readily expelled -by merely -moving its outer end sidewise in the hole 4! to disengage it from the 'led'gg-face 46. The leaf spring 44 is Secured at an end to the top wall of the chamber and inclined downwardly thereirom so that its free end forms a yieldable seat 41 for the inner end of the leg substantially in alignment with the hole 4! and adjacent to the rod 42. The innermost part of seat 41 is provided with means, such as a depending portion, by which the leg is retained in engagement With the seat. The lg is limited in its outwardmovement by a stop element 48.

The invention provides a very useful and satisfactory chair in which a baby may be strapped can be carried in it. Having described the pre- -ferred -embodiment of the invention, it will be understood thatjsuch changes and modieations may be reso'ted to as come within the scopo of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. 'A:babychainconveztible:intoasatcheh comprising -a seat; a side "wall-rigid therewith' to'form wings and a back, said 'seat and side r wall 'constituting' 'the body :of ;the zsatchel, -a :drop -board hingedto'the frontof 'saidseat a table'board pivoted to thewing'portions of .said sidewall-to ext end forwardly thereo said drop' board being adapted to Swing upwardly to close the e front 'of the side wall, said tablexboardbeingr adaptedi'to Swing backwardly to close-?the :top of t he 'side Wall, and iastening means'for'retaining saididrop board and said table board whenswung as' afera said.

2. A baby'chair convertibleintoa satchel, com

' prising a seat, a hollow side wallrigidithere- With providing wings: and aback and constituting With said `seat 'the badry' of the =chair and satchel, a drop board hinged to' the front* of said seat and provided witha ioot restextendingtorwardly, said drop board being adapte'd' to swing upwardly against the'front-of said side wall to close the forepart of'saidbo'dyso as to constitutea bottom'partior the satchel,` a table-board pivoted to 'the top of the'Wingportion --orsaid -side wall adjacent to the forward part-thereo'f,

said table board being a'dapted-to -swing 'backwardly 'against the top ofsaidside wall so as'to constitute a closure for side of the satcheLan'd means for releasably'astening said drcpp boa d and said table board in 'their-'closed positions in the satchel use of the article.

3. A baby chair assetforth inclaim 2; iri-which the-foot rest fits ever' theforepart -o'f "the-*top 'of the* side Wall whenthedrop boardis swung upwardly to close the'forepart of said side wa ll in forming 'the bottom part ofthe'satchel.

4. A baby chair as set iorth in claim 2, in w-hieh the side wall is provided with a handle -on the section'thereof -Which forms the back-of the chair.

5. 'A baby chair convertible intoasatch'el, comprising a seat, a hollow side Wa11--rigid"`therewith providing wings anda back and constituting With said seat the body of thechairand satchel, a drop board hinged to the front of said seat'and provided with a'foot rest ex-tend ing forwardly, said drop board being-adapted'to Swing upwardly against the front of said side -wall to closethe forepart of said body seas' to consti-tuteabottom part for the satchel, atabIe bOard pivoted to:the top of 'the wing portions of said side walladjacent to the'forwai d 'part' thereo'f; said table -board *being adapted to Swing backwardlyiagainst'the,top of said 'side wall so as tocorstitute -a-c1osurefor ing said drop board and said table'boarddntheir closed positions, and displaceable legs on said seat.

6. A baby chair as set forth in claim 5, in which the side wall of the chair comprises spaced side wails, a top Wall and a bottom wall jointly enclosing a chamber, and in which the legs are mounted at the bottom portion of said seat to telescope in said chamber.

'7. In a baby chair, a seat having elongated holes therethrough, a side Wall providing wings and a back, said side wall being composed of spaced Vertical walls, a top wall and a bottom Wall jointly denng a chamber, said bottom wall having elongated holes in alignment with said holes in said seat and communicating with said chamher, legs individually inserted in said holes to telescope within said ehamber, said legs being of a circuiar cross section and of a diameter slightly less than the width of said holes, and rod-like elements fixed in said chamber, each depending angnlarly toward a hole and adapted to engage in a recess provided in the upper end of the leg which is lodged in the respective hcle, each recess being disposed eccentrcally of the axs of its leg Whereby the leg When turned is caused to be ciamped in the hoie in a projecting angular disposition for support of the chair.

8. The eombination with a structure as set forth in claim '7, of resilient means for retaining the legs in the chamber in non-projecting disposition when they are disengaged from the rodlike elements.

9. In a baby chair, a seat having elongated holes therethrough, a side wall providing wings and a back, said side wall being chambered and having elongated holes in its bottom portion in register with said elongated holes in said seat and in communication with said chamber, legs individualiy inserted in said holes and said chamber, means for holding said legs in projecting disposition for support of thechair, and means for severally retaining said legs in a fully receded dispostion within said chamber, said latter means comprising ledge faces formed in each hole and the lower end of the leg thereof, a leaf spring mounted in the upper part of said chamber and having a yieidabie distal end in alignment With a hole for engaging the upper end of the leg thereof whereby the leg can be tensioned against said distai end with its lower end restrained by said iedge faces, and means by which said distal end is adapted to securely seat the upper end of the leg.

10. In a baby chair provided with Wings upstanding from a seat, a table board, and means detachably pivoting the table board to said wings, said means comprising pins projecting from opposite side edges of the table board, plates hinged to said wings and apertured receptive to said pins, and springs stressing said plates inwardly of the Wings.

CLIFFORD JOHN HU'ME.

REFEEENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 316324 Barnwell Apr. 21, 1835 11718380 Ross June 25, 1929 1,956,097 Hofstad Apr. 24, 1934 2,430241 Nichoias Nov. 1, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 26,702 Great Britain Nov. 29, 1911 

